Abstract: Objective To evaluate the correlation between aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index (APRI) and portal vein pressure (PVP) in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to investigate the diagnostic value of APRI for portal hypertension.Methods The patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension who underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in the Department of Intervention in our hospital from August 2015 to June 2019 were selected, and their APRI and PVP were measured.Results There were 54 patients enrolled in the study, with an median age of 56 years (range 26-74 years), and 64.8% of them were males. The etiology of cirrhosis was virus in 30 (55.6%), alcohol in 3 (5.6%), and others in 21 (38.9%). The median of PVP was 40 cmH₂O (range 16-61 cmH₂O). The median of APRI was 1.255 (range 0.08-4.72). There was significant positive correlation between PVP and APRI (Spearman's rho=0.356, P=0.008). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of APRI for predicting high portal pressure (PVP>30 cmH₂O) was 0.881(P=0.001, 95% confidence interval: 0.756-1.000). APRI ≥ 0.81 was 78.7% sensitive and 85.7% specific in predicting PVP>30 cmH₂O, with positive predictive value of 97.4%, negative predictive value of 37.5%, and diagnostic accuracy of 79.6%.Conclusion APRI correlates positively with PVP in patients of liver cirrhosis. APRI ≥ 0.81 has an acceptable accuracy for the prediction of high portal pressure and APRI can be used as a serum marker for noninvasive diagnosis of portal hypertension.

Key words: Cirrhosis, Portal hypertension, Aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index, Portal vein pressure, Noninvasive